Save water with succulents

While “drought” might not be the first word you’d associate with Portland, water conservation is still a goal of many local gardeners. Whether your interest in a drought-friendly garden is primarily for cost-savings, eco-consciousness, or the unique style, you’ll find that gardening with succulents is extremely easy, rewarding, and relatively inexpensive. Just make sure to use a well-drained cactus soil and plant in full sun, and your succulent garden will thrive. Here are just a few of the interesting plant specimens that can be found in the drought-tolerant garden:

Cactus variety

Cactus of every imaginable shape, color, and size are happy residents of the drought-tolerant garden.

Aeonium arboretum

Aeonium arboretum, commonly known as the “desert pinwheel rose,” grows very quickly and yields abundant yellow flowers from late winter to early spring.

Holiday cactus

The holiday cactus gets its name because it produces showy red flowers only once a year, during the winter holiday.

Lithops

Lithops are known as “flowering stones” or “living stones” because they blend in perfectly with small stones in their native environments, but also sprout beautiful flowers.

Myrtle spurge

Myrtle spurge is a sprawling evergreen perennial that produces small yellow flowers in early spring. It’s a beauty in the drought-tolerant garden, but beware that its sap can be a skin irritant, so make sure to handle it with gloves.

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